The Border Legion

s perception of that smoke came a shuddering memory. She lay still, listening. She did not hear a sound except the tinkle and babble and gentle rush of the brook. Kells was dea

cabin, walked away. The sun was almost at

his dim old trail or endeavor to get out the way she had been brought in. She decided upon the latter. If she traveled slowly, and watched for familiar landmarks, things s

y impossible to touch that hateful thing. But now that she had liberated herself, and at such cost, she must not yield to sentiment. Resolutely she started for the cabin, but when she reached it her steps were dragging. The long, dul

ought a swift realization-Kells was alive. And the cold, clamping sickness, the strangle in her throat, all the feelings of terror, changed and

s compassion left to her, and, forgetting all else, she knelt beside him. He was as cold as stone. She felt no

pered. "But-he's dying

, tended him, nursed him, saved his life? For if there were one chance of his living, which she doubted, it must be through her. Would he not be the same savage the hour he was well and strong again? What difference could she make in such a nature? The man was evil. He could not con

s over. The back of his vest and shirt was wet with blood. She got up to fi

not Kell's spine was broken, but she believed that the bullet had gone between bone and muscle, or had glanced. There was a blue welt just over his spine, in line with the course of the wound. She tore her scarf into strips and used it for compresses and bandages. Then she laid him back upon a saddle-blanket. She had done all that was possible for the present, a

le that he might come to and want water. She had once administered to a miner who had been fatally c

re already dead. She was exhausted, weary for sleep, and unstrung. In the night her courage fled and she was frightened at shadows. The murmuring of insects seemed augmented into a roar; the mourn of wolf and scream of cougar made her start; the rising wind moaned like a lost spirit. Dark fancies beset her. Troop on troop of specters moved out of the black ni

ad passed away from her. It did not seem strange to her that she should feel that Kells still lived. She knew it. And examination proved her right. In h

f any of Kells's comrades happened to come, what could she tell them? They would be as bad as he, without that one trait which had kept him human for a day. Joan pondered upon th

That night, during the hours she lay awake, she gathered courage out of the very solitude and loneliness. She had nothing to fear, unless someone came to the ca?on. The next day in no wise differed from the preceding. And then there came the third day, with no change in Kells

e when his lips stirred. He tried to talk. She moistened his lips and gave him a drink. He murmured incoherently, sank again into a stupor, to rouse once more and ba

elping him to drink. She could see his

u-mother?"

repli

ild, baby. Some mother had loved him, cradled him, kissed his rosy baby hands, watched him grow with pride and glory, built castles in her dreams of his manhood, and perhaps prayed for him still, trusting he was strong and honored among men. And here he lay, a s

she dreaded finding him conscious, almost as much as she dreaded the thought of finding him

he whi

she r

-with me

I couldn't

y. "I'm alive yet. And you stayed!... W

our da

s my bac

ink so. It's a terrible w

ill me-then tri

silent

id. "But I wish-you'd only been bad. Then

d best be quiet

'll get over this-if my back'

no i

t me

pen your wound,"

ce of the man spoke e

-why?" a

can sit up. If I c

e slipped her arms under his and, carefully rais

sped, with thick drops standing out o

he laid him down and worked over him for some time before she could bring him to. Then he was wan, suffering, speechless. But she belie

recover. My back's not broken. I'll get well.

she

e worse off.... Take the back trail. Y

o weak you can't l

ther yo

hy

I think-I'm afraid I loved you.... It could only be hell for you. Go now,

e to leave you here alone," she replied, ear

won't die. I'm hard t

s bad for you-arguing. You'

ep you naked in a cave-curse you-beat you-mu

ead. Once for all-no!

ice failed in a t

left him he would not have lived long. She knew it. And he knew it. When he was awake, and she came to him, a mournful and beautiful smile lit his

easoning passion. She hated them because she was losing her love for them, because they were becoming a part of her, because they were fixed and content and passionless. She liked to sit in the sun, feel its warmth, see its brightness; and sometimes she almost forgot to go back to her patient. She fought at times against an insidious change-a growing older-a going backward; at other times she drifted through hours that seemed quiet and golden, in which nothing happened. And by an

agged along, yet looked at as the past, it seemed to have sped swiftly. The change in her, the growing old, t

re of which Joan could not tell, and he almost died. There were days when his life hung

forced to sacrifice one of the horses. The fact that Kells suddenly showed a craving for meat brought this aspect of the situation to a climax. And that very morning while Joan was pondering the m

ickly, "there are men

light on his drawn face. "They've b

five riders, and s

It's G

ried Joan,

tone made Kells re

like. You won't be safe. I'm so helpless.... What to say-to tell him!... Joan

which she had encountered through him! Joan secured the gun an

ount across the brook, and leaped off while he hauled the horse to a stop. The second rider

man. His voice had a loud,

mewheres," said the

. Jack ain't goin' to

wide and heavy and deep-set that he looked short-and he resembled a gorilla. The other was tall, slim, with a face as red as flame, an

Pearce," boom

if it ain

all of the cabin, and she pointed to

s!" said K

with an exclamation of concern. Then both began to tal

. "I'm only starved-and in need of s

gged you

as your side-

arse constraint. Then he added, gruffly

we di

slow, curious, cold note in the heavy voice, an

d Halloway, too

direction of Joan. She had not the courage t

er the gi

They tried to get familiar with

d all over her and then a coldness

ejaculat

fe, Jack?" qu

ou... Joan, here are two of my f

runted s

glad to meet yo

take a good look at him. But what she felt was overwhelming. She wanted to run. Yet escape now was infinitely more of a menace than before. If she slipped away it would be these new enemies who would pursue her, track her like hounds. She understood why Kells had introduced her as his wife. She hated the idea with a shameful and burning hate, but a moment's reflection taught her that Kells had answered once

turned over with the fl

whisky he nee

re blood he'll croak s

k he is," sai

usiness.... Look here! See that blue spot!" Gulden pressed a huge finger down upon the blue

in't correct!"

that place-it made me numb all over. Gul,

at under the balsam she heard a sharp cry and then cheers. E

he cabin and began to attend to

and upon seeing her call

gainst a saddle with a damp and pallid

rious over the bullet. It's a forty-four caliber, and neither Bill Bailey nor Halloway used that caliber of gun. Gulden remembered. He's cunning. Bi

on-help me to get home?" im

ver be safe no

-soon-when

. But you're

she had felt in him before his illness began again to be manifested

clude her meaning. A tight band compresse

OT my wife?" he queried. His voice had grown stron

esser of two evils. "No man-could be such a beast t

ance. I told you to go. I said if I e

u'd hav

ou honestly and leave the country. I've gold. I'm young. I love you.

fore-I'd marry y

"For a moment I saw a ghost. My old dead bette